PENN VALLEY, Calif. July 26, 2026 – Just before noon today, Penn Valley Fire Protection District, North San Juan Fire Protection District, and California State Parks responded to reports of a patient who had suffered a significant fall along the South Yuba River, approximately 1.5 miles upstream from the Historic Covered Bridge near Bridgeport.
Due to the severity of the patient’s injuries and the remote location, air resources were requested to assist with the rescue and transport. Ground rescue crews and paramedics from Penn Valley Fire and North San Juan Fire reached the patient at approximately 12:35 p.m. and immediately began providing advanced medical care.
CHP Rescue Helicopter H-20 arrived on scene and successfully completed a hoist rescue, extracting the patient from the canyon before transporting them to a waiting REACH Air Ambulance. Due to the extent of the patient’s injuries, they were then flown to a regional trauma center for definitive care.
At this time, there is no update on the patient’s condition.
Thanks to the outstanding coordination between Penn Valley Fire, North San Juan Fire, California State Parks, CAL-FIRE, CHP H-20, and REACH Air Ambulance, the patient was transported to a trauma center within approximately two hours of the initial 911 call. This incident demonstrates the effectiveness of coordinated interagency response in challenging and remote environments.
This is the second rescue at this exact location in less than 24 hours. During yesterday’s incident, another patient suffered significant injuries after a fall and was also transported to a regional trauma center.
Penn Valley Fire reminds all visitors to exercise extreme caution when recreating along the South Yuba River. The rocky terrain can be steep and unstable, and even a short slip can result in serious injuries. Please stay on designated trails whenever possible, wear appropriate footwear, and be mindful of your surroundings to help ensure a safe visit.